The Florida Panthers are facing uncertainty regarding the availability of key players Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Anton Lundell ahead of their upcoming game against the Boston Bruins. All three forwards are listed as day-to-day.
“There’s a chance they all play tomorrow; there’s a chance none of them play tomorrow,” said head coach Paul Maurice following Tuesday’s optional practice at Baptist Health IcePlex.
Marchand has missed the last two games after aggravating an injury that previously sidelined him for seven games. Lundell, who participated in Monday’s practice wearing a no-contact jersey, has been out for three games due to an upper-body injury. Bennett sustained an upper-body injury during Monday’s loss to the Buffalo Sabres and did not return to the game.
“We just didn’t know how serious it was at the time,” Maurice said about Bennett’s condition. “It was serious enough that he didn’t feel right and we needed a day to 48 hours to get a handle on how serious it was. There’s as much science as we can put on these things. None of this is feel. We’re not messing around with a player.”
These absences have left the Panthers without four centers who started Game 6 of last year’s Stanley Cup Final, as Aleksander Barkov and Tomas Nosek continue recovering from offseason knee surgeries. As of February 2, Florida has accumulated 318 man-games lost due to injuries this season.
“That was a first last night,” Maurice noted regarding the depleted core of centers.
Despite his recent injury, Bennett received positive news by being named to Team Canada’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, replacing injured Tampa Bay Lightning forward Anthony Cirelli. Bennett has recorded 42 points (19 goals, 23 assists) in 55 games this season and is recognized as the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
Bennett joins nine other Panthers players selected for Olympic teams: Uvis Balinskis (Latvia), Sandis Vilmanis (Latvia), Anton Lundell (Finland), Eetu Luostarinen (Finland), Niko Mikkola (Finland), Sam Reinhart (Canada), Brad Marchand (Canada), Gustav Forsling (Sweden), and Matthew Tkachuk (USA). Canada will face Czechia in its first Olympic game on February 11.
In other updates, team captain Aleksander Barkov participated in Tuesday morning’s optional practice as he continues rehabilitation from ACL and MCL surgery conducted in the offseason. Dmitry Kulikov and Jonah Gadjovich also skated during practice.
“It’s good to have him around, for sure,” Maurice said about Barkov. “There’s a bit of a longing there when you see him walking down the hallway in his gear. We’ve got a spot for him.”
Barkov holds franchise records in goals, assists, points, and games played with Florida and became the first European-born captain to lead his team to two Stanley Cups last June. His return date remains uncertain.
With two games remaining before the break, Florida holds a record of 28-24-3.
